NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — If you want a really perfect fit for a suit or a dress you
would probably get it customized for your body size and shape.

So
why not do the same for something even more important like a total knee
replacement?

As
CBS2’s Dr. Max Gomez explained, that’s exactly what one company is doing,
thanks to 3D printing.

There
are 750,000 total knee replacements done every year, and that number has been
going way up as baby boomers wear out their knees.

How
well those artificial knees relieve pain and how long they last depends on
getting the fit and alignment just right. That’s where the custom implants
help.

Fitch
Lockwood has a knee that’s pain free and can flex better than most
64-year-olds, but that wasn’t the case a few months ago.

“I
developed a limp about three-and-a-half years ago, my knee was aching all the
time,” he said.

Like
many people his age, Fitch had developed osteoarthritis of the knee. He’s
basically worn out the cartilage on the ends of his thigh and shin bones. Until
doctors learn how to regenerate that cartilage a total knee replacement is the
last option.

“In
terms of a conventional knee, we do very well with it. We do a nice job of
getting it right most of the time. But most of the time isn’t good enough in
surgery and that’s where this comes in,” Dr. Eric Grossman said.

Dr.
Grossman was referring to a customized knee replacement made to specifically
fit your particular anatomy.

It
starts with a CAT scan of the knee which gets sent off to Boston based
Conformis which uses a computer algorithm to take precise measurements for a
custom implant.

“What
we wanna do is replicate anatomy and this does that to the closest degree
possible,” Dr. Grossman said.

The
next steps are where things get very high-tech. Conformis uses 3D printing to
help make a knee implant to your precise measurements.

That’s
partly the implant itself and also the instruments that help the surgeon place
the implant in the exact alignment to correct any deformity.

“So
the implant survives for 20 to 30 years in the best sense. You want weight
distribution to be balanced, so that it doesn’t prematurely wear in that area,”
Dr. Grossman said.

Fitch
had his custom implant done just 4 months ago.

“Within
a week after surgery I threw away the cane and crutches. Now it feels like my
natural knee, really does,” he said.

The
question is; who needs a custom knee since conventional implants come in many
different sizes and shapes?

Dr.
Grossman argued that most people could probably benefit from a custom implant,
but it remains to be seen how widespread its adoption will be.